Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Property transactions and stamp registrations in the district have come to a halt. As of May 1, new regulations have been enforced for land purchase and sale transactions. According to these rules, it is now mandatory to attach a measurement map from the Department of Land Records (DLR). Without this map, documents will not be registered at the Stamp Office. This has effectively curbed the practice of quickly completing registrations without full documentation, and the Stamp Department claims that henceforth only official and verified transactions will be registered. However, the general public is criticising the move, saying that it has increased the number of trips to government offices and added to the bureaucratic hassle.
The state government has amended the Registration Act, making it mandatory to submit approved development plans and layout maps for land registration. As per the revised act, which came into effect on May 1, the registration of plots identified by Gut numbers or survey numbers within sanctioned layouts now requires the submission of an approved map. This move is aimed at curbing unauthorised constructions, as claimed by the authorities. Without an approved Town Planning map, document registration will not be permitted.
Meanwhile, to address the challenges arising from this new regulation, an online meeting of all concerned departments was held on Friday evening to discuss possible solutions.
Rise in applications for land measurement
The number of applications for land measurement based on the Gut and survey numbers has started increasing. Transactions are proceeding where old measurement maps are available. However, there is likely to be added pressure on the system to generate new maps.
Rise in applications
According to Deputy Superintendent (Land Records), Nilesh Unde, “ This new rule will lead to more official and transparent transactions, significantly reducing instances of fraud. Only NA-44 certified maps are considered valid and official. The regulation is expected to prevent unauthorised land dealings and construction that often occur by attaching incorrect or forged maps.”
No more frauds
According to Vijay Bhalerao, Deputy Inspector General of Stamps, “The recent slowdown in stamp registration transactions is a short-term effect of the new rules, but they are expected to be beneficial in the long run. These regulations will help curb property-related malpractices and fraud. He emphasized that public cooperation is essential for the successful implementation of these reforms. To ensure timely availability of land measurements and Tōch maps to citizens, a letter was issued on Friday to the Deputy Director of Land Records, instructing prompt service delivery.”
Transactions recorded before and after the new rule
Here's a comparison of the number of property registrations before and after the enforcement of the new mapping rule on May 1:
Before
April 28: 332
April 29: 433
April 30: 348
May 1: Public Holiday
May 2: 378
After
May 5: 146
May 6: 199
May 7: 234
May 8: 146
May 9: 118